A Hero's Return
by Just A Dreamer9
Summary: After the story of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Link has a recurring dream about Marin and Koholint Island and finally decides to go find her. Read to find out what happens
1. Chapter 1

A Hero's Return

It had been almost a year since Link's adventure inside the dream of the great Wind Fish. The same place where he met young Marin and her father, Tarin, on the quiet island of Koholint. He had washed ashore, was rescued by the beautiful Marin, and worked to try to find a way back home to Hyrule only to discover that to escape the island; he had to make it disappear along with all of its inhabitants, including Marin. The island was only a dream of the slumbering Wind Fish and to return home, Link would have to wake him using the eight magical instruments he found in various places on the island. He tried so hard to escape with Marin until his body gave out. In the end, Link vowed to wake the Wind Fish and to keep Marin, Tarin, Felicia, and the rest of the inhabitants inside his heart. He vowed they would live on. He woke the Wind Fish and traveled back home only to find, home felt quite empty. Many nights, he spent the hours either lying awake thinking about Marin and Koholint, and the other nights he spent dreaming about them. On this particular night, though, his dream was the most vivid one he had had ever since he returned.

"Link!" Marin shouted overjoyed as she ran to the shore where link was standing next to his boat. She ran into his arms and hugged him for what would only begin to make up for lost time.

"Hey, there, Marin. How've you been?" He asked still holding her tightly. She looked up and then punched him playfully in the chest.

"I missed you, you idiot!" She giggled, not even pretending to be annoyed at him. She was simply happy that he had returned.

"I am so happy to be back here with you, Marin." Link whispered, a silent tear rolling down his face. "I thought I had lost you." He barely uttered the words.

"I know. I thought I had lost you too…" Marin whispered in reply. "But you're here now and that's all that matters. Come on, hero. Everyone wants to welcome you home." She took his hand and led him into the village. Along the way, the people of Mabe Village welcomed Link back with open arms and applauded his return, thanking him for everything he had done for them. In front of Marin's house, stood Tarin with Link's fairy companion, Felicia, sitting on his shoulder.

"Welcome back, Link! Welcome back indeed." Tarin greeted, clapping Link's shoulder.

"Took you long enough, messenger boy." Felicia teased and they all laughed.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He said.

"Link? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Marin asked him, noticing the sadness deep within his eyes.

"What? Nothing is wrong, Marin. Everything's…everything's fine. Everything's great." He answered desperately trying to maintain his composure.

"Link…please tell me what's wrong. I can see the sadness in your eyes." Marin pleaded. Everyone looked at Link in concern.

"It's just…I know this is a dream. This isn't the Wind Fish's dream, it's mine. I've had this same dream over and over and over for a year now. I dreamed that I would find my way back here in the real world, Marin would find me on the beach, and you all would still be here waiting for me to return. And I know what comes after this. Marin starts to sing the Ballade of the Wind Fish and I have to wake up and feel like I lose you all over again. I don't want to wake up, Marin." Link pleaded, eyes brimming with tears as he held onto Marin's shoulders.

"Link, you know that I'm real. This might be a dream, but you still know that I'm real." She replied, touching his cheek with her hand. She took off her red island rock necklace and placed it in Link's hand. He looked at the necklace and then at her. "So you'll know that when you wake, this wasn't simply a dream." She said.

"But I don't want to-" Link began.

"Shhh. It's okay, Link. I know you'll come find us. Until then, I'll be waiting. Waiting for you to wash up on the shores of Koholint Island. Take this as a parting gift." She said. She then kissed him and he woke up with the light of the morning sun shining warmth onto his tear streaked face. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his closed hand and found a string on his face connected to a smoothed down red circular rock with a white spiral pattern in his hand. He bolted upright looking at the strange, familiar object in his hand with a singular thought racing through his mind.

"It was real." He whispered as his gaze was fixed upon the small stone in his hand. The Wind Fish was real, Koholint was real, and Marin was real! His heart raced at the implications this small and insignificant looking accessory brought. He jumped out of bed and donned his green tunic, white leggings, and undershirt and bolted out of his beach side bungalow. He grabbed his hat and equipment from beside the door and headed for the local town in search of transportation to Hyrule.

"Yes, Link?" Princess Zelda asked her royal knight as soon as he arrived.

"I ask for leave to search for Koholint Island and to bring back a girl I met there, my Princess. It is a time of peace these days, Zelda. You're already married and running the kingdom that I protect. There is a girl I met in the Wind Fish's dream a year ago and I now know beyond any doubt that she exists because I woke up with this necklace in my hand." He took off Marin's necklace and showed it to his friend. "This is her necklace, Zelda. She's waiting for me. The Hylian Army can handle things without me for a while can't they?" He asked. Princess Zelda looked at her childhood friend who had saved the kingdom and risked his life countless times before for her and people he didn't even know without a second thought.

"I grant you leave, Link. I don't know what forces are at play but this girl must be precious to you. Go find her, Link. Take my fastest ship and go. They say this Koholint Island you have told me about time and again does not exist. But if anyone can find it, it's you, Link." She answered with a kind smile.

"Thank you, Zelda. I should be back within a few months. Stay out of trouble." Link teased.

"Likewise, Link. Oh and Link? Do be careful. I wish to meet this girl." Zelda said with a sly grin.

"Will do, Your Majesty." Link bowed and left to gather supplies from the castle town and made his way to the harbor once he was done. He retrieved Marin's necklace once again and rubbed his thumb over the surface of it, thinking of how he was going to get back to Koholint and what would await him there. He boarded the small boat and loaded everything he would need for a six month journey and flew the flag of the Hylian knights. He set the sails and began his journey West into the great blue ocean, knowing that he needed to either find Koholint himself or the Wind Fish to guide him there. Days would go by where he would see no ship in sight and the winds would be too calm to sail. These days he would spend thinking of nothing but Marin and her beauty. Other days, the waves would threaten to reach the skies and capsize the small boat like they did a year ago which tempted link to simply jump into the water and be transported to Koholint somehow. But he knew better than to throw his life away on something so risky. He had to make sure he found Koholint Island and be reunited with Marin. One particular day though, a band of pirates with an impressive looking ship sailed near Link flying a Jolly Roger flag and threatened to board his small vessel.

"Surrender, ye dog, or we'll gut you like a fish! I am the Dread Captain Roberts! None escape me!" He shouted from across the water. Link rolled his eyes and crossed his arms impatiently.

"Ugh! I do not have time for this! Go play captain somewhere else! I'm looking for an island that isn't supposed to exist so just go away. "Link replied.

"Oh so ye be thinking we be playing is that it?" Captain Roberts sneered. "Well ye be sadly mistaken! Tell you what, boyo. If ye can best me and me crew, then I will give you any information you want! I've sailed these seas far and wide for my entire life and have mapped every island there is out here! But if we beat you, ye have to give us all your supplies and join me crew. Do we have an accord?" He wagered.

"Fine. When I win, I want to know about the Wind Fish and where he's been seen and about anything you know about Koholint Island, where it's located, and anything about islands that don't exist or shouldn't." Link said, equipping his hookshot. He shot the cable into the mast of the pirate ship directly behind one dim looking pirate and was instantly pulled across. He drove his feet into the chest the pirate mid-flight and sent him flying into the railing of the side of the ship before unsheathing his sword and cutting away the belt that held another pirate's sword and bashed him with his shield, knocking him out cold instantly. He was soon surrounded by pirates wielding weapons ranging from swords, maces, and even torches. Link held his sword outstretched behind him and focused his mind. The pirates jumped in unison at Link.

"Sword Revolution!" Link yelled as he spun around and dispatched them all with one strike. "You have been routed, Dread Captain Roberts. Surrender and tell me what you know of Koholint Island!"

"Ye would be mistaken, young lad, for only me crew has been routed. I, however have not. Now, face me like a man!" He drew two swords and charged at Link. Link blocked the double strike with his shield and swung high at Captain Roberts's head who blocked with his sword. He slashed at Link's feet who jumped on top of his sword and knocked him back with his shield and then pinned him to the ground with his sword at his neck.

"It's over, Captain Roberts. You have been beaten. Now tell me what you know." Link ordered.

"Fine. Ye got me." He replied as he stood up and brushed himself off. "I'll tell ye what I know about this mysterious island that you seek." He retrieved a map from his satchel and rolled it open. "A Wind Fish ye say? Aye, I've heard of such creature. Bigger than a Blue Whale and has a wingspan the length of ten galleys."

"So you've seen one?" Link asked excitedly.

"Well, no. I haven't per se. But it is rumored to be on the far side of this island here. In your boat, it should take you about two to three months to get there. Say, what business do you have looking for something that shouldn't exist anyways?" He asked.

"It's a long story and you wouldn't believe me anyways. Let's just say that a girl is waiting for me on an island that shouldn't exist." He responded.

"Aye. There be few things nobler than searching the seven seas for the girl you love." Captain Roberts said. "Go then, lad. If ye hook around this island here and catch a favorable wind, ye can sail right on through to the island chain near the one ye be looking for. Here's a few supplies for your journey. Now go get her, lad."

"Thanks, Captain. And if you make any trouble in Hyrule, you'll have to answer to me." Link said as he jumped into his ship and set sail Westward towards where Captain Roberts said the Wind Fish should be. Days turned into weeks as he sailed across the blue vastness and battled loneliness from isolation. Still, no matter what he did or how hard things became, his thoughts ever lingered on Marin and the people of Koholint Island, giving him strength to go on. At night, he would continue to dream the same dream over and over except now, he wouldn't seem sad to the others. He would tell Marin that he was coming for her and that he would be there soon and to watch the Eastern horizon.

"I'm coming Marin." He said as he woke up the next morning. He checked his compass and map and calculated it would take another three days before he would get to the area the Wind Fish was in. It wouldn't be long now before he could find her. The next three days were filled with routine maintenance of his equipment and preparing the fish he caught for eating and storage. He woke up on the fourth morning, checked his compass and map, and saw oddly shaped clouds above him. He climbed to the crow's nest and looked up to see if he could spot the Wind Fish. The Wind Fish then swooped down and landed in the water beside Link's small boat nearly making him fall out of the crow's nest.

"Greetings, Link. It has been some time." The Wind Fish's voice was as deep as rolling thunder but as gentle as the ocean breeze.

"Hey, Wind Fish. It certainly has." Link replied.

"What brings you out to these parts? It's a very long way from Hyrule." He asked.

"I was hoping you could answer a couple of questions." He answered.

"You are wondering about Koholint and whether or not it exists." The Wind Fish said.

"That's right. I had a dream about Marin. And when I woke up, her necklace was in my hand. Please tell me how to get back there." Link said.

"Hm..It would appear that you have kept your vow to keep them alive in your heart, Link. You kept them alive and now they really are alive in the physical realm. There is a small island a week to the south east of here. There you will find Marin and all of Koholint and her people. Go, young Messenger of Awakening. Go reunite with your loved one. I will give you a favorable wind to get there swiftly. Safe travels, Link." The Wind Fish turned Link's boat and flew south east, giving link great tail wind to get to Koholint swiftly.

The following days were filled with excitement and daydreaming of Koholint while the nights were filled with dreams of eating freshly cooked fish on the beach. Then at long last, he could see the island on the on the horizon. As he drew nearer to the eastern shore, he saw a red haired girl sitting on a stone on the beach swinging her feet back and forth.

"Hoy! Marin!" He shouted as loud as he could. As he got into shallow water, he put the sails down and dropped the anchor before jumping out of the boat and into the water. He swam to shore and crawled onto the beach.

"Link!" Marin cried as she ran into his arms.

"Hey there, Marin. How've you been?" He asked with a smile.

"I missed you, you idiot!" She said playfully punching him in the chest.

"Well I wouldn't have known that Koholint existed in the real world if you hadn't given me your necklace. Here you go." He said giving her back her necklace. He then brought her back into his embrace and held her there for what wouldn't even begin to make up for lost time. He felt warm tears dripping on his neck and he looked at Marin.

"What's wrong, Marin?" He asked.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just so happy knowing that this isn't a dream. That this is real. That I, along with all of Koholint, actually exist. We are all alive thanks to you, Link." She said smiling with tears still running down her face. Link wiped the tears away with his finger.

"I don't really understand it but at this point, I don't even care. I am just so happy to have finally found you once again. I've been sailing for nearly three months looking for you." He said.

"Me too. Come on, everybody wants to meet you!" Marin took his hand and ran up the beach into Mabe village. As they walked along the road, the villagers were lined up cheering for him and thanking him for everything he had done for them. They got to Marin and Tarin's house and found Link's fairy companion, Felicia sitting on Tarin's shoulder.

"Welcome back, Link! Words cannot express the level of gratitude we Koholintians have for you. Thank you." Tarin said.

"Took you long enough, messenger boy. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up at all." Felicia teased with a playful smirk.

"No thanks to you, shorty." Link teased back. "I had to fight like, forty pirates and the Dread Pirate Captain Roberts to get here."

"Couldn't have been too hard if you could do it." Felicia teased and flew over to his shoulder. "I'm glad you made it back safely."

"Me too." Link said.

"Not to cut this happy reunion short, Link, but if I remember correctly, you asked me if you could bring Marin back to Hyrule with you. Is that correct?" Tarin asked.

"That is correct, sir. If you would still allow me to do so-" Link started.

"Go on. She's wanted to explore the world ever since I can remember. She can't do that from our small island. I just wish there was a way that we could see her again." Tarin said.

"Actually, there should be. I've been studying this map for months and it looks like there is a trade route about a week towards Hyrule from here that could be extended to here. You have crystals exotic plant life you could trade. Pirates do tend to attack those traders and as a Hylian knight, I am sworn to protect Hyrule and all of her inhabitants. We could stop by every couple of months." Link explained.

"Really? I could come back and visit?" Marin asked excitedly.

"Then it's settled!" Tarin said. "Marin, you will get to see the world as long as you make sure to come back and visit your father every once in a while. And I want some grand-kids." At this, Marin's entire face flushed scarlet to the tips of her ears with a look of utter shock and Link pulled his hat over his face.

"Dad! No!" Marin yelled, not liking how her dad made a happy reunion this awkward. Felicia and Tarin both laughed until they were doubled over rolling on the floor. Link and Marin awkwardly avoided eye contact for a few minutes. After they all composed themselves, Link and Felicia went with Marin to go say goodbye to her friends in Animal Village and then returned to Mabe Village.

"Well I guess this is goodbye for a while, Marin." Tarin said with a sad smile as he hugged her.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be back before you know it." She assured him as she hugged him.

"You take good care of her now, Link. I trust you." Tarin said, placing his hand on Link's shoulder.

"Make sure they stay out of trouble, Felicia." Tarin told her.

"I will." She answered.

"Well I guess we should be off then." Link said after the goodbyes.

"I'll see you all in a few months! Take care you three!" He shouted to them as they ran and boarded the boat and set sail. Marin stood in the crow's nest and waved goodbye to everyone gathered on the shore.

"Marin, you wanna navigate? I'll show you how." Link offered.

"Yeah sure." She answered and came down from the crow's nest and put her hands on the wheel with link guiding them from behind her.

"Okay all you have to do is go this way to steer right and the other way to steer left. And just say the word and we'll set sail for Hyrule Port." Link instructed.

"Alright. Let's set sail for Hyrule Port!" She shouted.

They brought up the anchor and charted a course for Hyrule Port and sailed off into the big blue ocean.

To Be Continued


	2. Life, A Course Uncharted

Life, a Course Uncharted

"Link! I see land!" The red-headed Marin called from the crow's nest of Link's ship.

"I see it! We'll be docking shortly." Link shouted back. "Hey Felicia wake up we're here." He nudged the small fairy sleeping in his hat on his head. They had been sailing for about two months when they finally reached home. With a direct course now chartable between Koholint Island and Hyrule, travel was now swift. They sailed into the harbor, docked, and Marin took in all the new and wondrous sights and sounds of the new land.

"Wow! All of this is so incredible, Link!" Marin awed, fascinated by the different trees, fish market, the sound of shipwrights repairing ships in the harbor or people milling about nearby, the smell of fresh fish and new scents on the air, particularly a nearby bakery with freshly cooked sweet bread. Marin inhaled deeply through her nose upon catching a whiff of the bakery.

"Link what is this mouthwatering scent I smell? Where is it coming from?" She was nearly drooling from the sweet delicious smell.

"Yeah, Link, what is it? Hurry up and take us to it, slow poke!" Felicia bossed him. She flew around his head like an annoying gnat until he caught her in his hat and let her out on his head.

"That, my dear Marin and Felicia, is a bakery. It has sweet bread so soft that it will just about melt in your mouth. Come on. We'll get some on the way to the castle. Zelda loves this bread." He started walking down the path towards the small seaside market area except Marin held a quizzical and slightly worried expression and wasn't walking.

"Link, who is Zelda?" Marin asked quietly. Link stopped and turned around to look at her.

"Oh Zelda? She's the queen of Hyrule. She runs everything around here. She's the one that gave me the ship to get to you. Oh yeah she wanted to meet you. She gave me the boat to bring you back. She's a great friend, that's for sure. You're going to enjoy meeting her." He replied and continued walking.

"Oh. She want to meet me? Me? Why?" She asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm wondering. Why would a queen want to meet us? We didn't even exist until a few months ago." Felicia piped in from atop Link's noggin.

"Why, because you're his friends, of course. And any friend of Link's is a friend of mine." A blonde haired woman with purple raiment and the crest of the Royal Family on the front approached them from behind. "Greetings. You must be Marin. My name is Princess Zelda. I'm technically a queen but I prefer Princess. It has a nicer ring to it don't you think? Link has told me so much about you. And you must be Felicia. Pleasure to make your acquaintances." She bowed to them. "It's been a long time, Link. I'm glad you made it back safely." She gave them a sweet smile.

"So am I. Also, I may have uh, opened a new trade route to a previously nonexistent island." Link averted his gaze and smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Princess Zelda. Has Link really talked a lot about me?" Marin asked after she bowed.

"Marin," Zelda began, putting a hand on the redhead's shoulder and turning her attention to Link. "This poor, brave-hearted swordsman clad in green, as quiet as he is most of the time, he just would not shut up about you for two seconds when he talked to me. Every single time he came to me, it was always about the possibility of the existence of the Wind Fish, the existence of islands that shouldn't exist, or about the beautiful, lovely voiced, kind and caring redheaded girl from his dreams that he dreamed every single night. He dreamed about you each and every night for a year. He came to me and pleaded with me to let him go and find you. I knew that if he had and sliver of possibility of finding you that he would be the one to do it. Link has a knack for doing the impossible." She finished saying.

"Really Link?" Marin asked incredulously. Before Link could open his mouth, Felicia interrupted.

"That does sound like Link now doesn't it? Sappier than all the trees on Koholint and about as stubborn as a boulder when it comes to getting what he wants." She said.

"If you would, let me tell you something about Link as well, Princess. Link here, when he found out that we were all in the Wind Fish's dream, built a raft, took me out on it and even though he knew that there was no escaping the island unless the Wind Fish was woken up and we all vanished, kept on paddling until he could hardly unclench his fists or even move from the stress he put on his body." She took Link's arm. "This swordsman is as stubborn as he is pure of heart. And not only did he refuse to have it either one way or the other, kill all of Koholint and escape, or be trapped inside the dream forever, he woke the Wind Fish up _and_ brought us all into existence! Can you get more stubborn than that?" Marin, Zelda, and Felicia, and Link all laughed at this.

"Come on, let's go get some bread! I've had nothing but fish and seafood for the past like 5 months. Let's talk while we eat." Link ushered them off the boardwalk and into the bakery.

"I have never tasted anything like this!" Marin proclaimed. "It's so sweet and fluffy!" She continued as she reached for more of the delicious golden buttered rolls.

"Best in the kingdom. I have the baker here deliver some of his breads to the castle every so often for me and the guards." Zelda commented savoring the smell of the golden bread.

"What about the king?" Link inquired. "No bread for him?"  
"Afraid not, Link. I caught him conspiring to usurp the throne and take all the power for himself. So I had him and his accomplices exiled. Now it's just me and my loyal servants in the castle. While having a husband to share my thoughts with and turn to when the stress gets heavy at the end of the day, there's nothing like having a good group of friends who are loyal no matter what. But enough about me. What about you and Marin, Link?" Zelda explained to him and leaned forward towards Link as she asked her question with an eager curiosity.

"I never liked him anyways. What about us, Princess?" Link asked, slightly uncomfortable with the princess's sudden change in behavior.

"Yeah." Marin agreed.

"Oh, I think you two know." Felicia piped up currently in between helpings of rolls. She eyed the two very knowingly.

"Uh I'm not sure what you're talking about. You'll have to be more specific." Link requested, shifting nervously in his seat as he became more and more uncomfortable just like Marin was. Both he and Marin reached for the same roll at the same time and their hands brushed each other. Link nervously pulled his hand back and scratched the back of his head while averting his gaze from the furiously blushing Marin.

"Oh yeah. You don't know a thing, Link. I guess I have to do everything myself." Felicia half mocked them. She took another bite of her roll and floated up to Link's hand grabbing it. She pulled it over to Marin's beside him and wrapped his hand around hers.

"There. Now don't let go or I'll keep every single one of these delicious rolls from you." She threatened the previously blushing pair. The princess simply smiled smugly. Neither Link nor Marin looked at each other, but simply squeezed the other's hand gently.

Eventually, their posture slowly eased from rigid and uncomfortable to relaxed.

"And that's how I woke up the Wind Fish." Link concluded his retelling of the story of how he woke the Wind Fish and made it out of the dream.

"Sounds incredible. It must have been so hard to go through with waking the Wind Fish when you knew the cost. Yourself, or an entire island." Zelda thought aloud.

"You have no idea, Zelda. After I got back home, I couldn't sleep for an entire week because of what I knew I had done. And even when I finally did manage to sleep those few nights, it was always about all of Koholint asking me why I killed them.. Why I couldn't save them." Link fought to keep his composure. His voice was low and he couldn't find it within himself to raise his head. Especially not with one of the people he made disappear sitting mere inches away from him. Marin put her free hand on his opposite cheek and lifted his face to look at her.

"Except you did save us, Link. You are the sole reason we exist. Why I am sitting here beside you. You wanted us to live so badly that we eventually came into existence. Or at least that's what I guess is what happened. Either way, you have no reason to blame yourself." Marin soothed. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"She's right, Link. You saved us. You saved us all from a life where we weren't actually alive. From a dream that we could never escape from. You saved us from nonexistence." Felicia floated up to his shoulder and hugged him around the neck as best she could although her arms only made it about half way around.

"Link, you are the most pure of heart person I know. I would even go so far to say you are the purest of heart in all of Hyrule. There is no blame to be given. So don't beat yourself up." Zelda consoled him.

"Yeah. I guess you all ae right." Link stated through tear filled eyes. "Thanks." He gave them a small but heartfelt smile.

"Good. But as fun as this homecoming has been, I must return to the castle to perform my daily duties. Kingdoms don't run themselves after all. Marin, Felicia, it has been such a pleasure meeting you two. I look forward to talking to you again. Link, keep her close. Marin, keep him out of trouble. And Felicia, don't eat too many rolls. This baker puts lots of sugar in them." Zelda departed and made her way to the castle to the north.

"Where to now, Link?" Marin asked him, still clinging to his hand.

"Well, I guess we could go to where I've been staying. I don't know if you could call it home but it's where I've been hanging my hat. It's nothing fancy though. Just a small shack out beside the ocean close enough to the castle so that if Hyrule needs me, I'm not too far away." Link replied.

"Sounds great! Let's go!" Marin exclaimed excitedly.

"So far, Hyrule is beautiful. How about we take the scenic route?" Felicia suggested. "I want to see the sights."

"I know just the place. Come on. It's not very far from here by foot. Let's go." Link led her by the hand down the beaten path.

"Link, this is incredible. We had forests and trees on the island but nothing like this. There's so much wildlife and so many different kinds of trees and plant life. It's so beautiful." Marin awed at the lush green forest and all its majesty.

"This isn't what I wanted to show you, Marin." Link slowed a little to let her take it all in but continued leading them along. They came across a small stream with a small stone bridge built across it where they stopped and admired the sounds.

"This is so peaceful. This is a lovely place." Felicia stated, taking in all the sounds of the forest and the gentle rush of the water. "This is wonderful."

"It really is." Marin sighed.

"This isn't it either. Just a little farther, you two." Link smiled and continued onward. They walked up to a crystal blue waterfall issuing out of the side of the mountain, cutting through the ground where it ran for miles to the ocean.

"This is so beautiful. There is so much to this land and we've only walked a short distance." Marin said, trying to take in the sheer beauty of everything she and Felicia had seen so far.

Yeah. But this still isn't what I wanted to show you. It's just a little farther." Link told them.

"What could you show me that could be better than this?" Marin asked in disbelief.

"You'll see." Was his reply. Felicia, who had been speechless most of the journey, spoke up.

"Link, you live around all this? You've been around this all your life?" She asked.

"Yeah. Whenever I fight, I fight to protect not just the people of Hyrule, but all this that you've seen so far. I fight to protect the beauty of the land and the lives of the people. Come on. Last thing I wanted to show you before we go home." Link answered as he gently lead them both up the mountain. "I want you to close your eyes for this one. Don't open them until I say so, okay? Don't worry. I'll lead you safely there."

"Okay, Link. If you say so." She gave him a smile and shut her eyes as he led her. He led her up the trail, under low lying branches, around large stones, and over fallen tree branches until they finally arrived at their destination where Link gently helped her into a sitting position.

"Okay, Marin. You can open your eyes now." Link said softly. Marin slowly opened her eyes to see the vastness of the land of Hyrule. As far as the eye could see, there was land. There was Hyrule Castle close by, looking over the citizens of the kingdom within its gray walls. There was the wide and far reaching expanse of the forests, rich with the symphony of nature led by the whispers of the wind and the songs of the various birds conducted by the tempo of time. The lakes and falls, crystal blue and teeming with aquatic life like the ocean. The rises and falls of the hills and valleys of the plains, reaching far unto the horizon.

"Oh, Link.." Marin's eyes filled with emotion that rolled down her face in warm streams. She covered her mouth with her hands and rested her head against his shoulder. Felicia stared wordlessly at the incredible beauty of the fiery orange hues of the sunset bathing the countryside in a wondrous glow. "It's so beautiful. I want to be able to see this every day. I want to see this beauty every day, Link."

"I see this beauty whenever I look at you, Marin." Link told her as he put his arm around her.

"You did not bring us out all this way just to say that, did you?" Marin asked staring at him incredulously.

"No, but now that you say that, I wish I had thought about that." Link admitted with a smile.

"Okay I think I'll give you two love birds some privacy. I'll be over in one of those trees." Felicia floated off into a nearby patch of trees to give the pair some alone time.

"This really is beautiful, Link." Marin said as she rested her head once again on Link's shoulder.

"Yeah. Especially when you're here." Link let out a contented sigh. "You know, there once was a time when I was fearless. I wasn't afraid of anything on that island nor any monster in this land. I fought with all my might yes, but if I had died, I knew that there'd be people in Hyrule to take my place in the army. But now.." Link trailed off.

"Now?" Marin asked.

"Now, I am scared out of my mind by the thought of dying." Link answered her and pulled her gently closer into him.

"What changed?" She asked although she was fairly certain of the answer. Link smiled and fell back pulling her with him so they were laying on their backs on top of the warm grass bathed in twilight.

"Well you see, I was off in search of stronger foes to test my strength and to get stronger in case any evil ever showed up again in Hyrule. I sailed off into the sea but this fierce storm completely destroyed my boat and I was cast into the depths of the ocean, certain I was to meet a watery grave. But I awoke to this beautiful girl with red hair and a beautiful voice." At this part, Marin smiled and snuggled into him.

"She cared about all the animals and her friends and she sang this amazing sounding song. Eventually, though, I learned it was all just a dream. And to escape the dream meant to also make everyone disappear, even the girl I fell in love with. I had a kingdom to protect though so with an aching heart, I woke up the dreamer, escaped from the dream, and in doing so, killed everyone on that island. But here's the good part. Apparently, I wanted them to be alive so much, that they finally did come into existence. I sailed back to that island and found her waiting on the shore for me. So I brought her back to where I was from along with this annoying fairy who helped me escape the dream. But the reason I am just so scared of dying…is because if I die, who'll be there to protect you? I have faced hundreds of foes without too much worry of death because there's always more like me in the Hylian army but…..there's none other like you, Marin. There will never be another like you. Which is why I can't let myself die. The thought of not being there to protect you is just…..I want you in my future, Marin. I want you to be part of my future. Whenever I look at my future, I want to see you there. If I dream about you, and I wake up, I want you to be there right beside me whenever I wake up. I want you to be there wherever I go. If I have to go into battle, I want to be able to know that you'll always be there when I get back." He put both of his arms around her and held her tight as tears threatened to fill his eyes.

"Don't worry Link. I promise I'll always be here. I want to be part of your future, too. Which is why I'll be here to take care of you if you ever come back from battle hurt. You're my hero after all, but even heroes need someone to take care of them. Be with them. Make sure they're okay whenever they come home from saving the world." She sat up in his arms and pulled him up after wiping a tear from his face. "Speaking of home, let's go. It's getting pretty dark." Link nodded in response and stood up helping her up as well.

"Hey Felicia, let's go home. We have plenty to do starting tomorrow. I have to build a couple more rooms onto the shack if all three of us are to call it home." Link waved at her to come on and they made their way down the mountainside to the coast where his small shack was.

"Goodnight Marin and Felicia." Link said from a blanket on the wooden floor.

"Goodnight Link." Felicia answered from her small makeshift bed in the window sill.

"Goodnight Link. See you in the morning. And thank you again for letting me have the bed. It really wasn't necessary though. I would have gladly taken the floor." Marin replied from the small single mattress on the floor dressed in a light blue nightgown she had brought from Koholint. She removed her necklace and set it on the floor beside her mattress. She snuggled under the covers and smiled happily at the thought that she and Link would be sharing this house and their future along with Felicia.

"I couldn't do that. Besides, I'm much more use to it than you probably are. Goodnight Marin. See you in the morning." Link turned over on his side and used his arm as a pillow and pulled the cover up on him as they all were lulled to sleep by the hypnotic sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

To Be Continued


End file.
